Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
1/22/01
Contacts:
Byron Leu, Jefferson County Extension, (641) 472-4166,
bleu@iastate.edu
Elaine Edwards, Continuing Education and Communication
Services, (515) 294-5168, eedwards@iastate.edu
Cow-Calf Conference Set for Feb. 24
OTTUMWA, Iowa -- Midwest cow-calf producers are invited to attend the 2001 annual Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference, set for Saturday, Feb. 24, in Ottumwa.
"The Cornbelt Cow-Calf conference provides an opportunity for researchers, producers and agriculture-related services to come together to learn and share ideas that assist in making the cow-calf business profitable and competitive on a long-term basis," said Byron Leu, Iowa State University Extension livestock field specialist and a conference organizer.
Keynote speaker for the conference is Mark Gardiner, Gardiner Angus Ranch, Inc. (GAR) from Ashland, Kansas. GAR is a family owned and operated Angus operation, characterized by a disciplined breeding program and extensive use of embryo transfer, resulting in significant improvements in measured genetic trends over the past 20 years. Gardiner will speak about reproduction, growth and carcass traits.
Harlan Hughes, livestock economist and professor emeritus from North Dakota State University Extension Service will speak at this year's conference on the economics of replacement heifers. Hughes is a nationally recognized industry leader and educator.
Also speaking at the conference will be Wayne Newton of Blairstown, Iowa. Wayne will discuss how he organized members of his community to develop a business complex that started with a marketing club and grew into the BEIFF complex, currently composed of five value-added agricultural enterprises. His session will discuss how producers can work together to build networking groups.
Other sessions and speakers include
* Cattle Breeding in the 21st Century, Curt Youngs,
associate professor in animal science, ISU;
* Making Fescue Work for You, Dale Watson, beef producer,
Kirksville, Mo.;
* Pasture Improvement--Is It Worth It? Steve Barnhart,
extension agronomist, ISU and
* Michael Duffy, extension economist, ISU.
Doors open at 7:30 a.m. with registration and exhibit viewing. Registration is $6 and includes a copy of the proceedings and lunch.
This is the 30th annual Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference. The conference is sponsored by the Ottumwa Area Chamber of Commerce and ISU Extension. Partial funding was provided by the Iowa Beef Center and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at ISU, and Farm Credit Services of America.
For more information, contact Byron Leu at the Jefferson County Extension Office, (641) 472-4166.
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